Chasing the Blues Away
“Colder weather and shorter days seem to affect the mood of my students with autism,” commented a teacher of elementary students. “They are more withdrawn, less attentive, less responsive, and generally lethargic. Their family members and therapists report similar behaviors. What are some strategies for chasing away those blues?”
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Although you may not be able to pinpoint all of the factors and circumstances contributing to the despondency of these youngsters, you can take some steps to help elevate their mood during the darker winter days. Use any of the ideas below that work at school and share the others with families who can try some of the activities at home. Today’s podcast will talk about getting outside, one of two strategies that can make a real difference in mood. Tomorrow we will brainstorm some ideas to encourage folks to get moving, another strategy that helps chase the blues away.
In their discussion about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the Mayo Clinic advises people to spend time outdoors, even on cloudy days, because “outdoor light causes a biochemical change in your brain that lifts your mood,” Although your students probably don’t have Seasonal Affective Disorder, they can still benefit from spending more time outside. If it is cold, just bundle up and enjoy the great outdoors.
1. TAKE A HIKE. Plan to walk outside every day. You can take a longer walk or several short jaunts. Just make it a part of your daily routine. You can walk to the mailbox and pick up the newspaper or walk around the block or walk the dog. Find interesting places to walk – a park, a beach, the shoreline of a lake or pond, or a downtown street. If the youngsters hesitate to leave their own yard or school grounds, take a walk around the yard or around the school grounds.
2. USE A PEDOMETER. An inexpensive and interesting way to motivate reluctant walkers is a pedometer. Our friends with autism can watch the pedometer as it counts their steps, and they can chart the steps they take every day. They might even respond to a challenge to increase the number of steps they take outside every day.
3. ENJOY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. Scout out ideas for outdoor activities that individuals with autism can enjoy. Remember that the idea is to increase our exposure to outside light. Each person, of course, has different interests, but some of my friends with autism enjoy horseback riding or skating or shooting hoops or swinging.
4. SNEAK IT IN. You can find ways to sneak exposure to outside light into your daily routine. For example, park as far out into the parking lot as possible when making a trip to the store.
All of these outdoor adventures will also help lift the mood of teachers, other students, and family members. So make a purposeful plan to spend time outside every single day during these short winter days to help chase those blues away.
Note to FAQautism.com listeners and readers: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. You can click on a button to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solutions. Check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. www.FAQautism.com
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